Fancy Cane #085: Extra Fancy Texas Ebony & Sapele

Texas Ebony is quite a unique wood and if you ever have the chance to acquire a piece you really should. The wood is quite hard and has a very fine grain and the coloration can vary from solid dark brown/black to a variety of patterns of yellow/gold veining. I happen to like the variety of colors that swirl through the chocolate browns that show how the tree has grown, as it’s a slow growing tree from the arid regions of Texas. The growth rings are tell-tale of the harsh environment it deals with and some specimen have been known to grow quite large, so these must be very old trees that would have many tales to tell could they speak words.

Note the small worm hole on the top of the handle. It’s incredible that an insect can eat through this hard wood. I have filled the hole with ebony dust to stabilize it. I think it adds even more character to an elegant, rustic piece.

This cane handle is a hefty size that can fit a medium ladies hand or a large mans hand comfortably. The chatoyance in this wood is incredible. The light shines through the golden yellow veins and illuminates the wood as if it were made of blown glass. These photos were taken indoors with halogen lighting and don’t even compare with what illumination that sunlight can bring out.

The collar is also made of Texas Ebony to continue the flow of the wood grain and the Sapele shaft gives a nice accent of a medium brown with some golden hues.

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10 comments so far

lovely as usual..have you ever tried desert ironwood..very dark brown with chocolate/light & dark, very light sap/ and gold shimmery..I have a small piece hoarded..I made a box awhile back with it turns well..has holes and irregularites and is fine grained…you might like it for handles if you run across the right piece…thanks for sharing

Hey BlueStingrayBoots Jerry! This is a piece of the Texas Ebony I purchased from you two years ago. It’s some of the prettiest wood I have and the piece I recently bought looks even more exciting. I could easily become a hoarder of Texas Ebony if I had more storage space.

-- "They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." ~ Edgar Allan Poe